Training

Introduction to Python

Instructor

Chang Chung worked as a Statistical Programmer and Data Archivist at the Office of Population Research at Princeton University. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of South Carolina and M.S.E. in Systems Engineering from University of Pennsylvania.

Python is a popular, general-purpose, multi-paradigm, open-source, scripting language. It is designed to emphasize code readability and has a clean syntax with high level data types. It is well-suited for interactive work and quick prototyping, yet it is powerful enough for writing large applications. Python has a large number of available and well-written modules for everything from abstract syntax trees to ZIP file manipulation. Its ecosystem features an extensive set of tools including a JIT compiler and fancy IDE's. In this half-day workshop, attendees are introduced to basic Python syntax and to its ecosystem.

Audience

This workshop is for those who have some experience in using at least one scripting language (such as Stata, R, MATLAB, ...). It is assumed that participants can use a text editor and are able to execute a script file from a shell command line.

Format

Lecture, quiz, and demonstration. Attendees are welcome to follow along with the demonstrations, and to try to answer quiz items. In-depth lab materials will be provided for those wanting additional hands-on practice after the workshop is over